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Listen "Hispanic Heritage in Aviation: Breaking Barriers in the Skies"
Episode Synopsis
🎧 Episode Summary
What drives a teenager to climb up on a rooftop in Mexico just to watch airplanes trace paths across the night sky? For Adriana Barragan, it was more than a dream—it was a calling. In this inspiring episode of The Future in Flight Podcast, host Shawn Staerker explores Adriana’s remarkable journey—from struggling to learn English one page at a time to becoming a private pilot, Gulfstream engineer, and now the CEO and co-founder of Fly ORKA, an app reshaping how pilots learn and train.
Shawn also takes listeners on a tour of vibrant Hispanic aviation festivals—where mariachi music meets fighter-jet aerobatics—and pays tribute to the courage and innovation of Latino trailblazers of the skies, from Jorge Chávez, who crossed the Alps in a flimsy monoplane, to Olga Custodio, the first Latina to complete USAF pilot training, and Diana Trujillo, whose work at NASA reaches all the way to Mars.
This is a celebration of resilience, culture, and the pioneers who looked at the sky and said, that’s where I belong.
Brought to you by AviNation USA and our newest supporters, Flyte Sunglasses—“Light on weight, not on quality.”
✨ Key Points
Adriana Barragan’s Journey
Fell in love with aviation as a teen lying on a rooftop in Mexico, inspired by Richard Bach’s books.
Overcame language barriers by translating flight-training materials word by word and watching aviation films with subtitles.
Earned her private pilot’s license at 17 and studied aerospace engineering.
Worked at Gulfstream helping design and test advanced business jets.
Founded Fly ORKA, an app that helps pilots log flights, review 3D replays, and communicate with instructors—reducing costly in-air training hours.
Believes in empowerment without limits: “What defines you is what you do with every moment that is given to you.”
Hispanic Aviation Festivals
Feria Aeronáutica Internacional (Mexico): A mash-up of airshow aerobatics, heritage celebrations, and mariachi music.
FIA – Feria Internacional del Aire (Chile): High-altitude aerobatics against the Andes and hands-on STEM experiences.
Jorge Chávez International Aviation Festival (Peru): Honors the pioneer who first flew across the Alps—complete with air races, vintage planes, hot-air balloons, and ceviche.
Latino Pilots Association Events (USA): Mentorship and scholarships presented alongside cultural celebrations during Hispanic Heritage Month.
Trailblazers of the Sky
Jorge Chávez (Peru): First to cross the Alps by air (1910), proving mountain flying was possible.
Felix Rigau Carrera (Puerto Rico): First Hispanic U.S. Marine fighter pilot; later pioneered airmail routes in Puerto Rico.
Olga Custodio (Puerto Rico): First Latina to complete USAF pilot training and later a trailblazing American Airlines captain.
Marisol Chalas (Dominican Republic): First Latina U.S. Army National Guard Black Hawk pilot.
Arnaldo Tamayo-Méndez (Cuba): First Latin American in space.
Diana Trujillo (Colombia): NASA JPL engineer leading the robotic arm operations on Mars rovers.
Core Themes
Culture and community are as integral to aviation as technology.
Turning weaknesses into strengths unlocks new possibilities.
The sky has no borders—the next generation of aviators is more diverse than ever.
🕒 Chapter Timestamps
0:00 – 0:36 | Introduction: A rooftop in Mexico and the spark that started it all
0:37 – 6:20 | Adriana’s journey: from rooftop dreamer to pilot, engineer, and aviation-tech founder
6:21 – 8:25 | Empowerment without limits—Fly ORKA’s vision
8:26 – 12:38 | Hispanic aviation festivals: mariachi meets jet fuel
12:39 – 17:30 | Trailblazers of the Skies: historic Latino pioneers who changed aviation
17:31 – end | Closing reflections: inspiration for the next generation of aviators
🔗 Links
Fly ORKA: https://flyorka.com/
AviNation USA: https://www.avinationusa.com/
Flyte Sunglasses: https://www.flyte.aero/
Creative Relay Media: https://creativerelaymedia.com/
What drives a teenager to climb up on a rooftop in Mexico just to watch airplanes trace paths across the night sky? For Adriana Barragan, it was more than a dream—it was a calling. In this inspiring episode of The Future in Flight Podcast, host Shawn Staerker explores Adriana’s remarkable journey—from struggling to learn English one page at a time to becoming a private pilot, Gulfstream engineer, and now the CEO and co-founder of Fly ORKA, an app reshaping how pilots learn and train.
Shawn also takes listeners on a tour of vibrant Hispanic aviation festivals—where mariachi music meets fighter-jet aerobatics—and pays tribute to the courage and innovation of Latino trailblazers of the skies, from Jorge Chávez, who crossed the Alps in a flimsy monoplane, to Olga Custodio, the first Latina to complete USAF pilot training, and Diana Trujillo, whose work at NASA reaches all the way to Mars.
This is a celebration of resilience, culture, and the pioneers who looked at the sky and said, that’s where I belong.
Brought to you by AviNation USA and our newest supporters, Flyte Sunglasses—“Light on weight, not on quality.”
✨ Key Points
Adriana Barragan’s Journey
Fell in love with aviation as a teen lying on a rooftop in Mexico, inspired by Richard Bach’s books.
Overcame language barriers by translating flight-training materials word by word and watching aviation films with subtitles.
Earned her private pilot’s license at 17 and studied aerospace engineering.
Worked at Gulfstream helping design and test advanced business jets.
Founded Fly ORKA, an app that helps pilots log flights, review 3D replays, and communicate with instructors—reducing costly in-air training hours.
Believes in empowerment without limits: “What defines you is what you do with every moment that is given to you.”
Hispanic Aviation Festivals
Feria Aeronáutica Internacional (Mexico): A mash-up of airshow aerobatics, heritage celebrations, and mariachi music.
FIA – Feria Internacional del Aire (Chile): High-altitude aerobatics against the Andes and hands-on STEM experiences.
Jorge Chávez International Aviation Festival (Peru): Honors the pioneer who first flew across the Alps—complete with air races, vintage planes, hot-air balloons, and ceviche.
Latino Pilots Association Events (USA): Mentorship and scholarships presented alongside cultural celebrations during Hispanic Heritage Month.
Trailblazers of the Sky
Jorge Chávez (Peru): First to cross the Alps by air (1910), proving mountain flying was possible.
Felix Rigau Carrera (Puerto Rico): First Hispanic U.S. Marine fighter pilot; later pioneered airmail routes in Puerto Rico.
Olga Custodio (Puerto Rico): First Latina to complete USAF pilot training and later a trailblazing American Airlines captain.
Marisol Chalas (Dominican Republic): First Latina U.S. Army National Guard Black Hawk pilot.
Arnaldo Tamayo-Méndez (Cuba): First Latin American in space.
Diana Trujillo (Colombia): NASA JPL engineer leading the robotic arm operations on Mars rovers.
Core Themes
Culture and community are as integral to aviation as technology.
Turning weaknesses into strengths unlocks new possibilities.
The sky has no borders—the next generation of aviators is more diverse than ever.
🕒 Chapter Timestamps
0:00 – 0:36 | Introduction: A rooftop in Mexico and the spark that started it all
0:37 – 6:20 | Adriana’s journey: from rooftop dreamer to pilot, engineer, and aviation-tech founder
6:21 – 8:25 | Empowerment without limits—Fly ORKA’s vision
8:26 – 12:38 | Hispanic aviation festivals: mariachi meets jet fuel
12:39 – 17:30 | Trailblazers of the Skies: historic Latino pioneers who changed aviation
17:31 – end | Closing reflections: inspiration for the next generation of aviators
🔗 Links
Fly ORKA: https://flyorka.com/
AviNation USA: https://www.avinationusa.com/
Flyte Sunglasses: https://www.flyte.aero/
Creative Relay Media: https://creativerelaymedia.com/
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